Sword of Mercy (33 page)

Chapter 33

Hawke waved down the vehicle carrying his mate
and stepped inside. The somber atmosphere surprised him. With the
death of another Liege Lord, their “to-do” list grew one
shorter.

“Everybody okay?” he asked watching
Asia.

She nodded and glanced at Damian who sat in
the front seat looking out the window. “Yes. I talked to Mistress,
gave her the location of LOBO and a few other places I got from
Lancaster. Did you talk to La Patron?” she asked Hawke.

“Yes, a few minutes ago, he told me you’d pick
me up around here and we need to get back to Radoff’s. They found
something he wants us to look at.” Hawke met Angus’ gaze in the
mirror. “You gave him the information on the Liege?”

Angus nodded. “He’s sending teams out now. Not
sure what Radoff and Maheegan found, but I’m ready to go
home.”

Hawke wasn’t sure what to say about that. His
home was with his mate, wherever that took them. From what Asia
told him, La Patron would be rescuing the pups from the LOBO
compound, and that included the other pup he sired. According to
his mate, her Mistress was big on family connections and she
believed Damian would get along with La Patron’s two older sons and
godson. All three were mated and Damian might find a mate in the
states.

Hawke still couldn’t wrap his mind around the
concept of a family. Mating Asia had been the best thing to ever
happen to him and he thanked the Goddess every moment of the day.
But pups? That took things to another level he wasn’t sure how to
handle.

Asia placed her hand over his and smiled.
“
We will figure this out. Once we get to Radoff’s and finish
whatever we need to do there, we should be done with this
assignment. Like Angus I’m ready to go home.
”

He kissed the back of her hand. “
Okay. Will
we stay with La Patron or will we need to purchase a
home?”

“No. As personal security, we stay in the
compound. A place will be provided, no worries on that score. The
place is huge, three or four times the castle above ground.
Underground is huge, with tight security. You’ve never seen
anything like it
.”

Impressed with her high praise he settled back
and watched the scenery pass by. “How will you get Byte into the
country?” He glanced at the beast who lifted his head at the
mention of its name.

“Non-commercial, private jet landing on La
Patron’s land, can’t leave him behind. Something tells me we’re
going to grow old together.”

“La Patron wants to see and study him?” Asia
said with a hint of laughter in her voice.

Angus frowned and then shrugged. “Yeah, that
too.”

“I thought there were pups in his den,” Hawke
said, confused that the beast would be allowed anywhere near the
compound.

“They are, why?” Angus looked at him in the
rear view mirror, all laughter gone. “Is there a problem with
TerraByte’s being near pups? Is it unsafe?”

Hawke glanced at the beast and then at Angus.
The man couldn’t be serious. Byte took down a bluebird and slammed
open a metal door. “Not sure because nothing is known on his
biological makeup, his triggers, and what makes him tick. I’d move
with caution.”

Angus agreed. “Silas will meet me and we’ll
decide if I can return to the compound or if he’ll move me to
another area.” They turned onto the road leading to Radoff’s. Hawke
looked at Damian, who hadn’t spoken since he’d been in the
vehicle.

“Are you okay
?”

Damian didn’t respond.

“How soon do you think before we leave the
country?”
Hawke asked Asia
.

“I don’t know, Mistress hasn’t said anything.
But we have completed our assignment and stopped the Liege from
accessing pack lands in secret. Now, the Alphas will have their
scents and can track them down. Unless there is more for us to do,
we will return home with Angus.” She paused. “Are you taking Damian
with us?”

Hawke glanced at the silent pup and shrugged.
“What choices do we have? Lancaster is out there, and the rest of
the Liege. If they re-take him I will meet him across the
battlefield one day, unable to kill him. If La Patron can use him,
it would be better for everyone.”

She squeezed his hand. “Okay.”

“I would like to shift and run as the wolf,”
Damian said surprising Hawke.

“You have met your wolf? Made peace with
him?”

“Yes. Earlier Angus took us into the woods to
run and hunt. The feeling is liberating and I would experience it
again.”

The buildings came into view, they would be at
Radoff’s in a few minutes. “Okay, after I see what Alpha Radoff
needs to show me, we will take off into the woods.” He’d invite
Asia as well, they hadn’t ran on four legs in over a month and he
missed it.

“Thank you,” Damian said in a controlled voice
as if the words pained him.

Hawke smiled and told Asia. “That sounds good,
count me in.”

The car stopped in the outer bailey. They
spilled out and headed toward the main building where they sensed
Radoff’s presence. Before they reached the main entrance, Radoff,
Maheegan and a few other pack members met them on the
porch.

Maheegan embraced Asia and held her hand,
which struck Hawke odd. “Come we have a lot to tell you.” Hawke
walked on Asia’s other side holding her hand as they headed toward
the smaller building where the ceremony took place.

“La Patron told you the covenant is broken.
When the mixed blood ran across the pages and the words were spoken
the paper burned,” Maheegan said as they entered the building. “The
building shook, we thought there was some type of seismic activity
going on until it stopped and we saw the door.”

“Door?” Angus asked, moving ahead to open the
door leading below.

“Yes. It seems Konstantin was indeed smarter
than the Liege gave him credit for,” Radoff said following Asia and
Hawke. “Keep this door closed until I tell you to open it,” he said
to one of his pack members and then met the others on the ground
floor.

“Konstantin, the Hungarian Lord, who started
the Liege?” Asia asked for clarity.

“Yes,” Maheegan said, taking Asia’s hand again
before following Radoff down the corridor.

“This is how Niall and Lancaster entered to
take us before?” Hawke pointed down the long hallway.

“Yes, there are doors that open in various
regions on pack lands, I’ve temporarily locked them all. This is
too important for anyone to stumble across,” Radoff
said.

“Really?” Hawke asked, intrigued.

“When do we run as wolves
?” Damian
asked from above ground. Radoff hadn’t extended an invitation to
the pup and Hawke didn’t blame him. For now, the pup was a wild
card with unknown allegiance. Lancaster killed Gordon, but did that
mean Damian would go against all the Liege or just Lancaster or
would he allow it to pass? Hawke didn’t know and until he knew with
some measure of certainty which side of the fence the pup stood,
he’d keep him close.

“After I am done down here. Make
yourself useful and offer to assist in the cleanup.”

“I’ll wait by the car
.”

Radoff stopped in front of an old door filled
with symbols. Hawke looked around certain he had passed the area
before. “I don’t remember seeing anything like that, where’d it
come from?”

“After the ground shook, we did a quick search
to make sure the underground was still safe and came across this
door. It took a while to read and understand the writing on the
door, but once Maheegan figured it out, she opened it and then
contacted La Patron. He wanted you to see it because it had been
warded for so long.”

Asia released Maheegan’s hand and stepped
closer with Hawke by her side.

“Familiar
?” Hawke asked.

“In a weird way. My stomach clenched when I
first saw it
.” She looked over her shoulder at Maheegan. “Can
we open it?”

“How long do you think this has been here?”
Hawke asked as his fingertips stroked the wood and
markings.

“Yes, you can open it and go inside. Hawke I’d
say it’s been here since the 1800’s. Some of the meaning of the
symbols is older than that, but the wood, I’d say mid-century,”
Maheegan said even though she went no further.

Hawke pushed the door and stepped inside. A
light flickered on and then another and then another until the room
was bathed in a soft warm glow. Asia followed and then Angus. The
three of them stopped and stared at the large portrait on the
wall.

Two men sat on each side of a beautiful woman
who reclined between them holding a small child. They were in this
room or one similar. One male had black hair, green eyes, and
muscular, long legs and wore an air of superiority.

“That must be Alpha Nikolas,” Angus said,
pointing to the green eyed man. Hawke agreed, even after all these
years the man oozed authority.

“And that’s probably Konstantin.” He pointed
to the other male with pale skin and light brown eyes who stared
down at the woman. So far Hawke hadn’t come across much information
describing the long-time benefactor, but the way he looked at the
woman connected with Hawke. She was beautiful, like his
mate.

“But who is that?” Angus asked, pointing to
the female.

Hawke hadn’t been able to take his eyes off
the woman with the coffee colored complexion, long, thick black
hair, and well-toned body. Asia’s increased pressure on his hand
meant she had been similarly stricken by the portrait. The woman’s
whisky colored eyes looked down at the babe in her arms with warmth
and affection.

“Maheegan, who is the woman and what is the
purpose of this room?” Angus asked.

Asia’s belly quivered as she dragged her gaze
from the picture to look around. A large metal chest stood in the
corner and there were several volumes of texts similar to the ones
Hawke interpreted earlier. A bed lay in the back against the wall
and smaller pictures and statues were all over the place. This
seemed like someone’s personal resting space. Like a magnet, her
gaze returned to the woman, flicked over the men and then rested on
the female again. The warmth in the woman’s eyes touched
her.

“Does she look familiar to you?” Maheegan
asked Angus, who turned and stared at the portrait
again.

“Wow,” he said softly and turned toward Asia.
She met his gaze and leaned into Hawke. One moment she was the
white male everyone saw as his mate and then next she was in her
true form, staring at the woman who could be her twin.

“Bless the Goddess,” Radoff said in a reverent
tone. “You said they were kin, but this is my first time seeing her
like this and you are right.” He kissed Maheegan on the
cheek.

Angus walked to her and smiled. “For years you
have searched for answers, I believe you’ll find some in this
room.” He squeezed her shoulder and headed toward the door where
Byte stood guard.

“Wait,” Maheegan said before Angus left. “One
other thing La Patron wanted you three to see.” She took a small
locket from her pocket and handed it to Asia. “We found this on
that dresser when we entered the room earlier.”

Asia looked at the intricately carved piece
and opened it. Her breath caught and she met Maheegan’s
gaze.

“What?”

“I don’t know what it means, but at least we
have a place to start our search for a better understanding.
Mistress is adamant that all of this ties together somehow and
believes the Goddess set this in motion. She wants you and Hawke to
learn everything you can from the notes, books and artifacts in
this room. Then maybe you can explain it to us.”

Asia’s eye watered as she continued to stare
at the picture of the woman with the birthmark, which Asia had seen
on the pups, on her arm. Hawke’s hold tightened as he looked at the
picture.

No one questioned Asia’s relation to this
woman, the resemblance was almost a perfect match. She glanced at
the babe in the picture, the cloth covering its lower area
prevented an immediate identification but Asia sensed a connection.
She handed the piece to Angus. He stared at it for a long time and
then nodded.